Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad with a buttery pretzel crust, creamy cheesecake-like filling, and a strawberry-filled Jell-o topping.

Love this dessert salad? I’ve created a similar Raspberry Jello Dessert with a graham cracker crust and raspberries to try next time!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

I was raised with desserts passed off as salad, and this Strawberry Pretzel Salad is the cream of the crop!

These “salads” (which are actually desserts) pop up all over at potlucks, parties, funerals — you name it! In Utah, no holiday or summer party is complete without some variation on this recipe. And yes, it’s served alongside Funeral Potatoes, a Crockpot Roast, Dinner Rolls, and Roasted Green Beans– not with the desserts.

No wonder they’re so popular — desserts with dinner and then another dessert after that! I mean, yes please!

How To Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This salad starts with a thick and buttery pretzel crust which is loaded up with a sweet, creamy cheesecake-like filling. Fresh strawberries get mixed with strawberry gelatin, which is then added on top. Once the salad is thoroughly chilled, the salad can be cut into bars for serving.

Below I’ll break down each of the components of this salad, starting with the pretzel crust.

Pretzel Crust

Strawberry Pretzel Salad is famous for its crust. It’s sweet, salty, and ridiculously buttery! These tips below will help to ensure a perfect crust every single time!

• Let the melted butter cool. Once the butter is melted, it needs to cool back to room temperature. If the butter is hot, it will melt the sugar and pretzels, which will cause a greasy crust.
• Crush the pretzels. We need the pretzels to be crushed just right for these bars. Put them in a big plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Don’t blend them or they’ll be too fine. And if there are any big pieces left, crush them again in the bag.
• Measure the crumbs. With many types of pretzels available, measuring full pretzels can vary. It’s better to measure the crumbs after crushing to make sure you have two full cups.

Cheesecake Filling

Using low-fat products like cream cheese or whipped topping doesn’t work well in Strawberry Pretzel Salad. They won’t thicken or set properly, leading to a watery filling that can make the pretzel crust soggy. We need this layer to be firm!

• Cream cheese: For best results, use full-fat brick-style cream cheese. I also recommend a good quality brand; I love Philadelphia Cream Cheese® best.
• Whipped topping: Be sure the whipped topping is fully thawed so it can fold in nicely with the other ingredients. If you’d like to make Strawberry Pretzel Salad with real whipped cream, replace the Cool Whip® with 2 cups of whipped heavy cream.
• Sugar: This ensures a sweet filling reminiscent of cheesecake. We think the amount of sugar is perfect, but if you’d prefer a tarter filling, reduce the sugar a touch.
• Vanilla: This adds a nice flavor!

Strawberry Jello Topping

The last layer of this Strawberry Pretzel Salad has only three ingredients:

• Strawberry Jello: Watch the size of the gelatin box to ensure you use the right size — we’re looking for the big box (a full 6 ounces). Avoid lower-sugar alternatives here.
• Boiling water
• Fresh strawberries: I don’t recommend frozen strawberries in this recipe — I didn’t love the texture/flavor as much. (Here are some great tips on purchasing and storing fresh strawberries.)

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe Tips

• Don’t add hot Jello to the cream cheese layer. If the jello mixture is still hot, it will break up the cream cheese layer. Wait for it to cool to room temperature before adding on top.
• Briskly whisk the Jello. Once the boiling water gets added to the gelatin, work quickly to whisk the two together to avoid settling gelatin.
• Use a very sharp knife to make clean cuts when serving this dessert. If you’re having a hard time cutting it, run the knife under hot water, dry it, and make a cut. Repeat this process for every cut made.
• Leave yourself ample time to make these bars. While each layer of these bars are simple, this recipe takes a good amount of time in between waiting for the crust to cool down, the cream cheese layer to chill, and the gelatin to set up.

More Strawberry Treats

• Strawberry Frozen Yogurt with only six ingredients
• Strawberry Piña Colada with cream of coconut
• Nutella Crepes with fresh strawberries
• Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Cake with a graham cracker crust
• Strawberry Shortcake Trifle with lemon cake bites

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5 from 4 votes

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

By Chelsea Lords

Strawberry Pretzel Salad with a buttery pretzel crust, creamy cheesecake-like filling, and a strawberry-filled Jell-o topping.

Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 40 servings

Equipment

• 9x13-inch pan

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Pretzel Crust

• ▢ 2 full cups crushed pretzels (~4 cups full pretzels)
• ▢ 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 3 tablespoons white sugar

Cheesecake Layer

• ▢ 1 pkg (8 oz) brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temp (Note 1)
• ▢ 1 cup granulated white sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 container (8 oz) full-fat whipped topping, thawed (like Cool Whip) (Note 2)

Strawberry Jell-o Layer

• ▢ 2 cups boiling water
• ▢ 1 pkg (6 oz) strawberry gelatin (such as Jell-o)
• ▢ 2 cups fresh sliced strawberries (Note 3)

Instructions 

• PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan and line with parchment paper. Crush pretzels in a large plastic bag using a rolling pin until coarse crumbs form. Measure 2 full cups of pretzel crumbs. Melt butter in microwave and let it cool to room temp.
  
• PRETZEL CRUST: In a large bowl, mix crushed pretzels, cooled melted butter, & sugar. Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan. (I use the base of a flat measuring cup to compress). Bake for 8 minutes, then let it cool completely.
• FILLING: Using electric hand mixers, beat softened cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth (1-2 minutes). Add sugar and vanilla, and beat for another minute. Use a spatula to gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until well combined.
• FILLING CONTINUED: Spread this mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel crust. Make sure to take your time and seal to the edges to prevent the Jell-O from seeping through. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
• JELL-O TOPPING: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. In a large bowl, add the Jell-O and pour the boiling water over it. Briskly whisk until combined, then chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Thinly slice the strawberries and stir them into the gelatin. Ensure mixture is cooled to room temperature (Note 4). Use a slotted spoon to gently transfer the strawberries onto the cream cheese layer, then carefully pour the gelatin over them evenly. Pour close to the strawberries to keep the layers from mixing.
• CHILL: Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate until completely set (~4 hours). Use a sharp, hot knife (run under hot water, then dry) to cut into bars. The first couple of bars may be tricky, but it gets easier.
• STORAGE: Best enjoyed within 1-2 days. Do not freeze.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I love Philadelphia Cream Cheese® best. Use full-fat cream cheese for best results.

• To soften cream cheese: To soften, microwave the unwrapped package in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 10-15 seconds, flip, and microwave for another 10-15 seconds as needed. Do not melt; just soften so it isn't lumpy.

Note 2: Use full-fat whipped topping to ensure a firm filling.

Note 3: Fresh, thinly sliced strawberries work best. If using frozen berries, stir them into the gelatin without chilling it first and then spoon the mixture on top of the cream cheese layer immediately.

Note 4: Don't add hot Jello to the cream cheese layer. If the jello mixture is still hot, it will break up the cream cheese layer. Wait for it to cool to room temperature before adding on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.3g | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 6.3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 91.9mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 11.6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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